Flowers and Bandits
by kitkat646
Summary: Based off a wonderful mod called Skyrim Romance mod! Absolutely in love with it all, so I did a little story of m'mage and one of the d00ds. I hope you enjoy ) Daria needs some help with her herb shopping, as always. Thorn, usually annoyed by this, finds himself lost in thought this time around... (There's fluff So be warned!)


"Hm... Do you think we need any of these?" The tiny mage gal lifted a bundle of herbs, nirnroot and dragons tongue taking up most of the space in the tie. The man beside her was absolutely terrifying. He looked twice her size when it came to height, and four hundred times wider than the young woman. He was mostly muscle, though his armor made him appear even bulkier. The man, in response to her question, sighed. "I don't know, Daria," The whine in his voice couldn't be mistaken as he continued, "Can't we just go? Maybe get a _list_?"

Daria giggled, patting his hand-which held a _MANLY_ basket of different herbs and flowers. "A list? Hm... I'll have to remember to write one _next time_. Ooooh come on, we're almost done!" She chimed. Thorn once found it hard to believe the little thing pondering on which herb to buy next was probably one of the most powerful mages in all of Skyrim. He had also found it hard to believe she was the _dragonborn_ of all things. When he first saw her, she looked puny! Now, Thorn felt pretty tiny, too. Not size wise, but his pride. He almost hit his head on the way into this blasted place! The smell was even worse.

"I can't feel my nose." He complained.

"Then stop breathing through it~" Daria would simply reply to the brute.

Thorn sighed. This is how it always went. Once a week-sometimes two-she would drag him to the nearest city and shop for supplies. He didn't mind the _other_ supplies, and wouldn't mind shopping altogether if it weren't for the fact that they could spend at the least two hours in here for herbs he didn't even know existed! If his men had seen him do this, they'd all laugh! Then again, most of them are dead, so who really cares? Not Thorn. Anymore, at least.

When he had first ran into Bishop and Daria, he had underestimated them greatly. He got a nasty scar on his cheek, and a burn on his lower back. It doesn't bother him now of course, but at the time he was fuming with anger. As more days passed by, and it seemed like Bishop and Daria were there to bother him nonstop, he sighed in defeat. They had won, and he was a pathetic bandit. The woman was much more than he had originally thought of her. "Much more indeed..." Thorn mumbled to himself.

"What was that, Thorn?" Asked Daria with wide eyes. Thorn shook his head. "Nothing." He answered simply.

Thorn chuckled as she shrugged light heartedly and continued looking at the strange plants. Thorn thumbed a flower, thinking to himself some more.

How long had it been now? Not a year, but well over half of the year. The air was crisp now, and the girl and he had been what you could say friends since the buds on bushes began to sprout again. A friendship blossomed in the spring, and... well, something _else_ bloomed in the fall. Something about it all intrigued the bandit. He wasn't used to such feelings, but he felt a strong desire to keep this girl safe. Of course, she could very well do that herself, but there are also people that can bypass the magic and take advantage of her size. The thought of it made Thorn scowl.

"Why in the world are you frowning at that flower?" Her small voice asked with a light laugh, a brow cocked upwards. Her head tilted to the side, and her weight shifted onto her left foot. It was funny how Thorn was really starting to notice all of these smaller things about her. Thorn, not exactly wanting to voice out his thoughts, faked a sigh as he spoke, "I just wish I could smell properly is all, mouse." The familiar name made Daria grin wide. "Alright, alright. I think I'm about done now. C'mon." She beckoned him to follow, walking out the door. Thorn stopped himself as he made the move to walk, eyes darting to the innocent flower he had been staring at to death.

"Jeez, what took you so long?" Asked the mage as Thorn made his way out of the little shop.

"Here." Thorn said flatly, a small purple flower between his thumb and index finger. He handed it to her with a furrowed expression on his face. Why, he looked flustered, almost! Daria blinked in surprise, taking the flower with her gloved fingers. "I don't think I need any mountain flowers though..." She said slowly, only for Thorn to roll his eyes. "It's not for your potions. It's for _you_." He stressed the word, poking her shoulder with a finger. Daria, even more surprised now, had a light blush on her cheeks. "O-oh! Heh, silly me. Th-thank you, Thorn." She answered bashfully, looking up to him with a big smile.

Thorn found himself smiling back, finding the anxious behavior rather...cute.


End file.
